ISAP- International

Workshop on Asphalt
Binders and Mastics

Overview of the Use of Fracture

Mechanics for Binders and Mastics
Characterization
Raul Velasquez, Hussain Bahia, and Hassan Tabatabaee

September 16th,2010
Madison-Wisconsin
Motivation

*From Marasteanu class lectures

 Motivation
Thermal cracking is Stress
Tensile Strength
addressed based on strength
and creep tests performed on
Thermal stress
asphalt binders and asphalt
mixtures TCR Temperature, C

Two simple laboratory tests were developed by SHRP:

( )
t
(1) Bending Beam Rheometer Test (BBR)
ij (t ) Eijkl (t ) kl d
(2) Direct Tension Test (DTT) 0

kl ( )
t
ij (t ) Dijkl (t ) d
0

Motivation

Mitigation of thermal cracking requires an understanding of relevant

parameters that describe how cracks initiate and propagate
Most widely used binder test method to address low temperature
cracking is BBR
BBR characterizes material in linear viscoelastic domain at small
strain levels and therefore could be limited in its ability to provide
a complete picture of thermal cracking phenomenon
More appropriate approach is to use test methods based on
fracture mechanics principles => such as Single-Edge Notch Beam
test (SENB)
Background
Various pavement distresses are related to fracture properties of
asphalt layer
Longitudinal, thermal, and reflective cracking
Fracture resistance of asphalt materials significantly influences
service life of pavements
Most powerful tool to study fracture properties of engineering
materials is fracture mechanics
Earliest attempts to investigate mechanism of fracture in asphalt was
performed by Moavenzadeh (1967)
It took more than two decades to incorporate fracture mechanics tools in
asphalt materials characterization
Background
Fracture strength is function of cohesive forces
holding atoms together
Theoretical cohesive strength of brittle and elastic
material is ~ E/10 => Experimentally E/100 to
E/10,000
Griffith (1920s) proposed that difference is due to
microscopic flaws amplifying local stress and
producing stress concentration
Background

Stress-Concentration Effect of Notch in Bending

Double Edge Notch Tension Test
(DENT)
Andriescu and Hesp (2004) tested binders at 20C and
fracture energy (Gf) was measured to predict fatigue cracking
Essential work of fracture (EWF) method was
used to estimate fracture resistance of binders by
dividing strain energy into essential work of fracture
(we) and plastic work of fracture (wp)
45 degree notch

40mm

30mm
 Double Edge Notch Tension Test
(DENT)
Zofka and Marasteanu (2007) compared DENT and DT for
nine different binders
-Results showed that DENT produces better
repeatability than DT and it can be used to estimate
critical cracking temperatures of binders
100
40

20
3
12

a
P 2W a a
2
a
3
a
4

K IC 1.122 0.561 0.205 0.471 0.190

B W a W W W W
1
W
Single-Edge Notched Beam (SENB)

Lee and Hesp (1994) were among first to use SENB

geometry to measure fracture properties of asphalt binders

Anderson et al. (2001) used SE(B) or SENB test to

measure fracture toughness of fourteen types of asphalt
binders: one plain binder and its thirteen modified ones
They checked effectiveness of characterization of low-
temperature cracking resistance with different grading methods
Fourteen asphalt binders were much better discriminated based
on fracture toughness than PG criteria
Single-Edge Notched Beam (SENB)

SENB results by Olard and Di Benedetto (2004)

indicated that fracture toughness was less dependent on
temperature and loading rate than fracture energy
Data showed probable existence of lower bound for
fracture energy of asphalt binders => reached in glassy
and brittle state of asphalt binders
Asymptotic value for fracture energy of asphalt mixtures
was also reported by Li and Marasteanu (2004)
Single-Edge Notched Beam (SENB)

Research by Hoare and Hesp 2000, Hesp 2003,

Chailleux and Mouillet 2006, Chailleux et al. 2007
have also used SENB to obtain fracture properties of
asphalt binders at low temperatures
=> They succeeded in grading a broad range of
materials with different levels of modification
Single-Edge Notched Beam (SENB)

Follows ASTM E399 and assumes linear elastic fracture mechanics

(LEFM) conditions are true
P

Notch W
a

PS a a 2
1
a a a a
K 3
f( ) f(
a
)
3(
W
) [1.99 (1 )(2.15 3.93( ) 2.7( ) 2 )]
W W
3
W W

2
W W a a
2(1 2 )(1 ) 2
BW W W
BBR-SENB system
BBR-SENB: Typical Results Binders
28000

24000 -18C
-12C
PG 64-22
20000 -6C
Load (mN)

16000 PPS = 252

pulses/step = 2
12000

8000

4000

0
0.00 0.10 0.20 0.30 0.40 0.50
Displacement (mm)
Issues with current SENB Geometry
Sample preparation is time consuming and difficult
Adhesion problems
Samples are delicate and premature failure at metal-binder
interface usually occurs when manipulating beams before
testing
Proposed Change in Geometry

1
Scaledx0.5 0.5

0.25
0.5

Original Size NewSize(BBR)

BBR-SENB system

Modification of basic BBR testing device was carried out to

allow for controlled deformation rate and a new SENB
sample geometry => BBR beam with a notch was used to
provide a more homogeneous specimen
Previous and New Geometry

Proposed geometry

Previous geometry

No stress discontinuities are observed proposed

geometry. Adhesion problem between binder and metal
bars is avoided
BBR-SENB: Typical Results
BBR-SENB: Typical Results

Force-displacement graph for PG 64-22 binder

plus modification at -12C
BBR-SENB: Mastics
12
RTFO Binder RTFO RRAP RTFO SRAP

10

8
Load [N]

0
0.E+00 1.E-04 2.E-04 3.E-04 4.E-04 5.E-04 6.E-04 7.E-04 8.E-04

Displacement [m]

System is capable of differentiating fracture properties

of RAP materials
SENB and BBR
Glass Transition Tg
1
SpecificVolume

GlassTransition
Temperature(Tg)

Temperature
Tg and SENB, BBR
 Why use fracture mechanics for
low temp cracking?
Test Methods in Mixtures ID State Asphalt binder
IL I74 IL AC-20
MN75 2 MN PG 58-28
MN75 4 MN PG 58-34
MnROAD 03 MN PG 58-28
MnROAD 19 MN PG 64-22
MnROAD 33 MN PG 58-28
SCB IDT MnROAD 34 MN PG 58-34
MnROAD 35 MN PG 58-40
US20 6 IL AC-10
US20 7 IL AC-20
WI STH 73 WI PG 58-28

SENB DCT
* Marasteanu et al. (2007) Pooled Fund Study on Low Temperature Cracking Phase I
 Why use fracture mechanics for
low temp cracking?
Correlation coefficients 600
Laboratory parameters

SCB, Fract. Energy [J/m^2]

500
Pearson Spearman
400
SCB, fracture energy -0.708 -0.718
300
IDT, S(60sec) -0.713 -0.405
200
IDT S(500sec) -0.590 -0.071
100
Mixture parameters SCB,Fracture Toughness -0.639 -0.736
0
IDT, strength -0.325 -0.571 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Transverse cracking, ft/500ft

DCT, fracture energy -0.265 -0.500 1.20

SCB, Fracture Toughness (MPa.m0.5)

SEB energy -0.291 -0.500 1.00

BBR S @ 60sec 0.105 0.248 0.80

m-value S @ 60sec -0.252 0.152 0.60

Binder parameters DT strain at 3% -0.694 -0.673 0.40

DENT Stress at failure -0.045 0.217 0.20

DENT Strain at failure -0.239 -0.250 0.00

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Transverse cracking, ft/500ft

* Marasteanu et al. (2007) Pooled Fund Study on Low Temperature Cracking Phase I
Final Remarks
BBR-SENB test is able to capture ductile-brittle
transition =>a good indicator of glass transition
of binder
In contrast to BBR, it is believed that BBR-
SENB test can capture effects of non-linear
viscoelastic or damage resistance behavior of
binders at low temperatures => a potentially
ideal performance characterization test
Final Remarks
Based on LTC phase I experiments
Simple descriptive statistics show that all fracture
parameters are significant with respect to
measured cracking occurrence
Fracture toughness and fracture energy have
highest correlations to field performance
 References
1. Anderson, D., Christensen, D., Bahia, H.U., Dongre, R., Sharma, M., Antle, C., and Button J. Binder
Characterization and Evaluation Vol. 3: Physical Characterization. SHRPA-369, Strategic Highway
Research Program, National Research Council, Washington, D.C. (1994).
2. ASTM Standard E399, "Standard Test Method for Linear-Elastic Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness KIC
of Metallic Materials", West Conshohocken, PA, 2006, DOI: 10.1520/E0399-09E01, www.astm.org.
3. Moavenzadeh, F.,"Asphalt fracture". Journal of the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologist, Vol.
36, 51-79. (1967).
4. Griffith, A.A., The Phenomena of Rupture and Flow in Solids, Philosophical Transactions, Series A,
Vol. 221, pp. 163-198. (1920).
5. Andriescu, A., Hesp, S.A.M., and Youtcheff, J.S., "On the Essential and Plastic Works of Ductile
Fracture in Asphalt Binders." Presentation at the 2004 Transportation Research Board annual meeting,
paper 04-2459, Washington D.C. (2004).
6. Zofka A., Marasteanu M., "Development of Double Edge Notched Tension (DENT) Test for Asphalt
Binders", Journal of Testing and Evaluation, ASCE, Vol. 35, No. 3. (2007).
7. Lee, N. K. and Hesp, S. A. M., "Low Temperature Fracture Toughness of Polyethylene-Modified
Asphalt binders." Transportation Research Record 1436, 54-59. (1994).
8. Anderson, D.A., Champion-Lapalu, L., Marasteanu, M.O., LeHir, Y.M., Planche, J.P. and Martin, D.,
"Low-Temperature Thermal Cracking of Asphalt Binders as Ranked by Strength and Fracture
Properties", Transportation Research Record 1766, 1-6. (2001).
 References
9. Olard, F. and Di Benedetto, H. ,"Fracture Toughness and Fracture Energy of Bituminous Binders at
Low Temperatures". Proceedings of 5th RILEM International Conference on Cracking in Pavements,
May 5-7, Limoges, France. (2004).
10. Li, X., Marasteanu, M.O., "Evaluation of the Low Temperature Fracture Resistance of Asphalt
Mixtures Using the Semi Circular Bend Test.", Journal of the Association of Asphalt Paving
Technologist, Vol. 73, 401-426. (2004).
11. Hoare, T. and Hesp, S., "Low-Temperature Fracture Testing of Asphalt Binders: Regular and Modified
Systems., Transportation Research Record 1728, pp. 36-42, (2000).
12. Hesp, S. An improved low-temperature asphalt binder specification method. Final report, NCHRP-
IDEA contract 84 and Ministry of Transportation Ontario Contract 9015-A-000190, (2003).
13. Chailleux, E. and Mouillet, V. "Determination of the low temperature bitumen cracking properties:
fracture mechanics principle applied to a three points bending test using a non homogeneous
geometry", ICAP Proceedings, Quebec, (2006).
14. Chailleux, E., Mouillet, V., Gaillet, L., Hamon, D. "Towards a Better Understanding of the Three Point
Bending Test Performed on Bituminous Binders. Advanced Characterisation of Pavement and Soil
Engineering Materials ". Taylor & Francis Group, ISBN 978-0-415-44882-6, 1075-1084, London,
(2007).
15. Marasteanu et al., "Investigation of Low Temperature Cracking in Asphalt Pavements-A
Transportation Pooled Fund Study, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Final Report, Saint-Paul,
Minnesota, (2007).
Thank you!